Viburnum plant named ‘SMVDBL’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Viburnum  plant named ‘SMVDBL’, characterized by its compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; glossy leaves; inflorescences with numerous white-colored flowers; dark violet blue-colored fruits; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Viburnum bracteatum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMVDBL ’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Viburnum plant, botanically known as Viburnum bracteatum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMVDBL’.

The new Viburnum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact Viburnum plants with good container performance and unique leaf types.

The new Viburnum plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2007 of Viburnum bracteatum ‘Emerald Luster’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Viburnum bracteatum as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Viburnum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2009 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Viburnum plant by softwood cuttings in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since June, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Viburnum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Viburnum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMVDBL’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMVDBL’ as a new and distinct Viburnum plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Glossy leaves.     -   5. Inflorescences with numerous white-colored flowers.     -   6. Dark violet blue-colored fruits.     -   7. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Viburnum can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Emerald Luster’. Plants of the new Viburnum differ from plants of ‘Emerald Luster’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Viburnum are more compact than plants of         ‘Emerald Luster’.     -   2. Leaves of the new Viburnum are glossier than leaves of plants         of ‘Emerald Luster’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Viburnum are more         compressed than inflorescences of ‘Emerald Luster’.

Plants of the new Viburnum can be compared to plants of the Viburnum bracteatum ‘SMVDLS’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application filed concurrently having application Ser. No. 13/987,981. Plants of the new Viburnum differ from plants of ‘SMVDLS’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Viburnum are more freely branching than         plants of ‘SMVDLS ’.     -   2. Plants of the new Viburnum have smaller inflorescences with         fewer flowers per inflorescence than plants of ‘SMVDLS’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Viburnum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Viburnum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘SMVDBL’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical lateral branch and leaves of ‘SMVDBL’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘SMVDBL’.

The photograph on the fourth sheet is a close-up view of typical fruits of ‘SMVDBL’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants of the new Viburnum grown in three-gallon containers during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Viburnum production. Plants were three years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Viburnum bracteatum ‘SMVDBL’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Viburnum bracteatum ‘Emerald             Luster’, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Viburnum             bracteatum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to thick; white and brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Deciduous perennial shrub; compact,             upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit;             vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 38             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching (removal of             terminal apices) will enhance lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 62 cm.         -   Plant diameter(area of spread).—About 60 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 42 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 5 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Erect to about 20° from vertical.         -   Color.—Close to 199B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; coarse.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 146C; glossy. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface:             Close to 137B; venation, close to 145C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Single rotate flowers             arranged in terminal cymes; freely flowering habit with             usually about 228 flowers per inflorescence; flowers face             upright to outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering commences in June in             Mich.; flowers last about two to four weeks on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; sweet, pleasant.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.8 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Flower length(height).—About 2 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 142B to 142C.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five petals in a single whorl.             Length: About 1.8 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Obovate.             Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Sepal development has not been observed on plants of             the new Viburnum.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth.             Color: Close to 141C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 80° from peduncle             axis. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close to 141C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             five. Anther shape: Irregularly globular. Anther length:             About 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 155A. Amount of pollen:             Slight. Pollen color: Close to 155D. Gynoecium: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 mm. Style length: About             1.8 mm. Style color: Close to 143D. Stigma shape: Rounded.             Stigma color: Close to 143D. Ovary color: Close to 143D.             Fruits: Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape:             Spherical. Texture: Smooth, glossy luster. Color, immature:             Close to 143C. Color, mature: Close to 103B to 103C. Seeds:             Length: About 4.8 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture: Smooth.             Color: Close to 177C. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Viburnum have been observed to     have good garden and container performance and to tolerate rain,     wind and temperatures ranging from about −27° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Viburnum have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Viburnum     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Viburnum plant named ‘SMVDBL’ as illustrated and described. 